1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention is related to computer page windows with control, static and status display elements that convey information to the computer user. Specifically, the invention is a method for displaying a base image and merging the base image with at least one secondary image, thereby creating a page window. Thus, the computer presents a page window to the user that is composed of both the base and secondary images. The base and secondary images incorporate graphical representations indicative of control, static and status elements. The invention is embodied in various structures and methods, a computer system with software instructions adapted to perform the methods, and a computer program product bearing software instructions adapted to perform the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Graphical user interfaces have become an indispensable part of the man-machine interface for computer equipment. A graphical user interface allows a user to easily manipulate a myriad of control points, as well as to monitor the status of the computer-controlled process. For example, a numerically-controlled machine tool includes a computer incorporating a graphical user interface comprising several different page windows, wherein each page window controls a separate function of the machine tool. Each page window includes control elements for managing the machine tool's functions, as well as status elements for depicting the progress of the machine tool's current operation. A second example is a computer system that controls chemical processing equipment. The computer system displays a layout of the chemical process, with its attendant control valves and pressure gauges that instrument various points of the process. Typically, each page window presented by the computer would contain the piping of the chemical process, along with the location of the valves and other process controls. More likely, the computer is connected to a network of user interfaces located at various control locations dispersed within the chemical plant, wherein the individual user interfaces allow the workers to view control and status page windows as necessary.
Thus, in the context of projecting operator control and monitoring apparatus, a frequently imposed requirement is that specific page windows include functions that are to be made available in all of the page windows. To date, this problem has been solved using two different methods. The first method involves dividing the page window into two regions, the permanent window and the main window. A permanent picture embodies fields, controls and/or other display elements. The permanent picture is rendered in the permanent window, and the permanent window is present in all the page windows presented by the computer, regardless if the fields, controls and/or other display elements shown in the permanent picture are relevant to the current portion of the process being controlled or monitored. In addition, main pictures embodies fields, controls and/or other display elements. Each page window has a unique main picture, and, unlike the permanent picture, a main picture will only contain fields, controls and/or other display elements that are specific to the portion of the process that is being controlled or monitored. As the computer-controlled process progresses, the appropriate main picture is rendered in the main window.
The second method involves the use of function keys. If function keys are present on the apparatus, it is possible to project a global allocation with functions. If nothing else was projected for a function key in an image, this global allocation was used. Thus, the globally projected function is available in all the images, whether or not the globally projected function is actually used. If nothing else was projected for a key in an image, the global allocation was used. The problem, of course, arises when page windows are displayed with function keys that do not relate to any function currently being displayed or controlled by the page window presently being displayed by the computer.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a page window depicting a process flow along a pipe is illustrated. The flow direction element 1 is a static element that depicts the direction of the process flow for the user. The pipe 9 is comprised of static elements that allow the user to visually understand how the valves 4–8 are interconnected together. The gauges 2–3 are status elements that indicate the current pressure in the pipe 9. The valves 4–8 positioned along the pipe 9 are status elements that depict the regulation of fluid flow along the pipe 9. These elements are part of a main picture rendered in the main window 16. Buttons 10–14 are control elements that open and close the valves 4–8 along the pipe 9. The buttons 10–14 are part of a permanent picture rendered in the permanent window 15. The buttons 10–14 may also be linked via software to function keys on the apparatus, e.g., function keys FN1–FN5 activate the buttons 10–14. The button 10 entitled VALVE 1 controls the valve referenced by the reference numeral 4, and the button 11 entitled VALVE 2 controls the valve referenced by the reference numeral 5. The buttons 12–14 entitled VALVE 3, VALVE 4 and VALVE 5 control the valves referenced by reference numerals 6, 7 and 8, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the page window illustrated is similar to FIG. 1A, although certain elements present in FIG. 1A are absent. Some of the valves 5,7,8, as well as one of the pressure gauges 2, are not present on the main picture rendered in the main window 16. Although all the buttons 10–14 are displayed on the permanent picture rendered in the permanent window 15, only the buttons VALVE 1 and VALVE 3 would have any effect, since there are no valves for the buttons entitled VALVE 2, VALVE 4 and VALVE 5 to control. Under the prior art method, these buttons would still be globally allocated to certain valves, thus leading to potential control problems. This illustrates the limitation of the prior art, in that fields, although not used by the current page window, are still presented. In addition, the page window illustrated in FIG. 1B is different from the page window illustrated in FIG. 1A. Thus, the computer programmer has to create two entirely different main pictures, which can lead to configuration problems if many different iterations of the same basic control program are required to meet customer desires.
A product called VISU from the company called RESOTEC implemented page windows in a similar fashion as described above. This product debuted in Hannover, Germany in 1998. VISU does not, however, provide for the modification of the permanent picture in the permanent window by a main picture presented in the main window.